Torgbui Agbodzalu Amuzu, the “fiator” (chief) of Nogokpo, has appealed to the Christian Council of Ghana to take the necessary action to prevent what he describes as a looming religious conflict in the country.
Fiator Amuzu highlighted the verbal attacks on Nogokpo by certain self-proclaimed men and women of God, including Patricia Asiedu also known as Nana Agraada.
His call comes after a video of Archbishop Charles Agyinasare, founder and general overseer of the Perez Chapel International, went viral on social media about two weeks ago. Agyinasare referred to the town as the “demonic headquarters” of the Volta Region.
The archbishop later clarified his comment and said he had no intention to cast a slur on the town and its people. He said, “any misrepresentation or misinformation that has characterised the subsequent commentary and reportage” was unfortunate.
Meanwhile, the chiefs and people of Nogokpo insist that failure on the part of the man of God to appear before them in two weeks will compel them to take another action.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Fiator Amuzu said the entire situation was being misconstrued by Christians, and many individuals on social media are making uninformed comments without understanding the facts on the ground.
He pointed out that the bible does not mention Nogokpo or anything regarding the shrine in Nogokpo.
“Nogokpo is a town where the deity of justice and thunder is revered. The bible never mentioned ‘Maame Water’ or the marine spirit, Nogokpo, juju or any deity in its pages and so christians must stop talking anyhow on the issue, especially on social media platforms and television channels because those comments can result in religious conflicts in the country,” Fiator Amuzu said.
He urged Christians to exercise caution in their discussions about the matter.
The chief further requested that the christian council advise the christian community to refrain from making references to Nogokpo, to promote peace and understanding among religious groups.
Fiator Amuzu emphasised that Nogokpo is a peaceful town that upholds its principles.
He also clarified that the shrine “Zakadza”, known as the “god of justice and thunder” is located in Nogokpo. The chief urged christians to ensure that they have accurate information before engaging in discussions on the matter.
He stated that, it is imperative for the Christian Council to promptly address the issue and call for an end to all negative commentary and insults directed at the deity and the town.
He said Christians need to focus on their own spiritual journeys and responsibilities to avoid any potential religious conflict in the country.
“If christians claim to have God, they should rather show good examples as followers of Christ instead of trying to start conflicts in the country. Those pastors and christians saying all sorts of things against Nogokpo do not own Ghana and Ghana does not belong to any of them, so they must be careful,” the chief warned.
He urged chiefs to fight for their titles and forget about what other chiefs have said about distancing themselves from Nogokpo.
The chief also called for unity among traditional leaders in the Volta Region.
The National Peace Council, in a statement last week, called for calm to protect Ghana’s religious peace following the development.
It said the council is taking the necessary steps to promote peace between the two parties and called on all persons making comments on the issue to exercise caution in their commentary in the interest of peace and religious tolerance.
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